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Friday, June 15, 2012

Book Review - Love Does by Bob Goff

Love Does ... some amazing things. You need to read this book!

Bob Goff is a lawyer with an office in Disneyland, who sees the world differently than I do - for certain. But I want to see it his way. He says, "I wrote Love Does to capture some of the stories of hope, joy and whimsy that have helped to shape the way I see Jesus," says Bob Goff. "What I've realized is that I've learned a lot more about who He is from what people have done with their faith than I have from what they've said about their faith."

The Publisher describes the book this way:

As a college student he spent 16 days in the Pacific Ocean with five guys and a crate of canned meat. As a father he took his kids on a world tour to eat ice cream with heads of state. He made friends in Uganda, and they liked him so much he became the Ugandan consul. He pursued his wife for three years before she agreed to date him. His grades weren't good enough to get into law school, so he sat on a bench outside the Dean's office for seven days until they finally let him enroll.

Bob Goff has become something of a legend, and his friends consider him the world's best-kept secret. Those same friends have long insisted he write a book. What follows are paradigm shifts, musings, and stories from one of the world's most delightfully engaging and winsome people. What fuels his impact? Love. But it's not the kind of love that stops at thoughts and feelings. Bob's love takes action. Bob believes Love Does.

When Love Does, life gets interesting. Each day turns into a hilarious, whimsical, meaningful chance that makes faith simple and real. Each chapter is a story that forms a book, a life. And this is one life you don't want to miss.

Light and fun, unique and profound, the lessons drawn from Bob's life and attitude just might inspire you to be secretly incredible, too.

Do you need a shot of caffeine added to your walk with God? How about a dose of whimsy? I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. I read it in small doses to absorb the deep and profound truths held behind the veil of his crazy stories. Each chapter is only a couple of pages and I often read it in 5 minutes or less but Bob knows how to use a few words to say a lot. I especially enjoyed the comparisons at the beginning of each chapter. They represent the lessons he'd learned and was now teaching to me. For example,

I used to think people needed more answers; but now I think they just need more truth

I used to think I needed an invitation to get into most places, but now I know I’m already invited.

Each chapter is a gift inside a lesson, wrapped inside an amazing story, enveloped inside a nearly unbelievable event that Bob and his family or friends got into. You might be watching a wedding cake spill all over a parking lot, or allowing a young love-struck man take over your home and property or even letting your children suggest foreign policy. No matter what it is you can be certain it involves action. Because, "I used to think being loved was the greatest thing to think about, but now I know love is never satisfied just thinking about it."

There are no doctrinal debates in this book, such as the age old issue of faith and deeds. Bob isn't try to change your religion at all. He is zeroing in on a way to look at life through the eyes of how Jesus sees us. To love more, but more importantly to let that love do more.

I recommend this book to anyone - Christian or not - to challenge yourself to be a little more active in your love. Put some shoes on it and see what happens because remember ... "love is never stationary."